President Hu assures that China is no threat

Chinese President Hu Jintao got an earful from U.S. lawmakers on North Korea and human rights on Thursday, but tried to assure the United States
that China's military and trade policies were not a threat.

Hu wrapped up the Washington leg of a four-day state visit with a call on leaders of the U.S. Congress and a speech to businessmen that stressed
China-U.S. collaboration and played down disputes between the world's top two economies.

"We do not engage in an arms race or pose a military threat to any country. China will never seek hegemony or pursue an expansionist policy," he told
a gathering hosted by the U.S.-China Business Council.

On trade, Hu highlighted figures that showed that cheap Chinese exports had saved American consumers $600 billion over the past decade and said his
country has become the biggest source of profits for many U.S. firms.

"Even in 2008 and 2009, when the international financial crisis was most severe, over 70 percent of American companies in China remained profitable,"
he said a day after the two countries signed deals they said were worth $45 billion.

Hu did not address the currency issue that has exercised many U.S. lawmakers, who argue that China keeps its yuan weak to boost exports -- costing
millions of U.S. jobs and increasing a trade gap that Washington puts at $270 billion.

President Barack Obama urged Hu during their White House summit on Wednesday to let the value of the yuan rise against the dollar.

Vice President Joe Biden said "significant discussions" in private about the yuan with Hu's delegation showed him that the Chinese understand they
must work on the currency dispute that is a major irritant between the United States and China.

"They indicate that they understand that -- that they have to work on it," he said. Asked whether Hu made any commitments, Biden replied: "Nothing
specific."
... Source

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One day, a scorpion looked around at the mountain where he lived and decided that he wanted a change. So he set out on a journey through the forests
and hills. He climbed over rocks and under vines and kept going until he reached a river.

The river was wide and swift, and the scorpion stopped to reconsider the situation. He couldn't see any way across. So he ran upriver and then checked
downriver, all the while thinking that he might have to turn back.

Suddenly, he saw a frog sitting in the rushes by the bank of the stream on the other side of the river. He decided to ask the frog for help getting
across the stream.

"Hellooo Mr. Frog!" called the scorpion across the water, "Would you be so kind as to give me a ride on your back across the river?"

"Well now, Mr. Scorpion! How do I know that if I try to help you, you wont try to kill me?" asked the frog hesitantly.

"Because," the scorpion replied, "If I try to kill you, then I would die too, for you see I cannot swim!"

Now this seemed to make sense to the frog. But he asked. "What about when I get close to the bank? You could still try to kill me and get back to the
shore!"

"This is true," agreed the scorpion, "But then I wouldn't be able to get to the other side of the river!"

"Alright then...how do I know you wont just wait till we get to the other side and THEN kill me?" said the frog.

"Ahh...," crooned the scorpion, "Because you see, once you've taken me to the other side of this river, I will be so grateful for your help, that it
would hardly be fair to reward you with death, now would it?!"

So the frog agreed to take the scorpion across the river. He swam over to the bank and settled himself near the mud to pick up his passenger. The
scorpion crawled onto the frog's back, his sharp claws prickling into the frog's soft hide, and the frog slid into the river. The muddy water swirled
around them, but the frog stayed near the surface so the scorpion would not drown. He kicked strongly through the first half of the stream, his
flippers paddling wildly against the current.

Halfway across the river, the frog suddenly felt a sharp sting in his back and, out of the corner of his eye, saw the scorpion remove his stinger from
the frog's back. A deadening numbness began to creep into his limbs.

"You fool!" croaked the frog, "Now we shall both die! Why on earth did you do that?"

The scorpion shrugged, and did a little jig on the drownings frog's back.

"I could not help myself. It is my nature."

Then they both sank into the muddy waters of the swiftly flowing river.

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